Portrait of Mangkunegara VII, a Javanese Ruler

The man in this portrait had studied in the Netherlands himself. As a young Javanese prince he spent three years at Leiden University, and in 1916 he went home to Surakarta, the city also called Solo, to become Mangkunegara VII, head of one of its two royal houses. Java was a Dutch colony and his powers were limited, but he put them to work for Javanese culture, helping to found the Java Institute and writing a study of the symbolism of the shadow-puppet theatre. Isaac Israëls painted him at his palace during a trip to the Indies in 1921 and 1922. The prince wears blue, a colour that signalled wealth, a servant stands behind him, and the palace interior is set down in quick strokes of pink and blue. Royal portraits were normally painted in fine detail, so this sketchy manner was a bold choice, and it did not come easily. Israëls usually finished a canvas in one sitting. With this one he was satisfied only at the third attempt.